Born in Zimbabwe and a Zulu folklorist, he is now studying how Chicago blues musicians make a living from musical work.
Caleb Dube <cdu263@nwu.edu; Fax 773-271-5665> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998
Dear Chancellor Broski:
Save Maxwell Street.
People usually identify themselves through place, in particular where they were born or where they spent their childhood years. Music plays an important part in this identification process because it helps to bring back memory and emotional attachment to a place or event. Music is therefore an important cultural product for constructing historical memory. As a historical musical landmark Maxwell Street is significant in the lives of the people who participated in and created its culture and history.
In many African societies, and in Zulu society in particular, when someone wants to know about your identify and place of origin they always ask literally, "Inkaba yakho Iphi?" (Where is your umbilical cord?). Inkaba is the Zulu word for umbilical cord, yakho is "your umbilical cord", and iphi means "where is it"? The umbilical cord has a significant symbolic meaning in Zulu society. It represents a person's identity and history. In order to connect me to my ancestors the remains of my umbilical cord were placed in my mother's kitchen. If I had been born in Iceland and raised in that country for six months or one year, my mother would have preserved the remains of my umbilical until she returned to Africa where should would dispose of it accordingly. So, the house or place that a person is born and raised is symbolically important, both emotionally and historically. Such a place or house is where a person's remains of the umbilical cord is placed or disposed of. The way it is disposed of is a historical act because very member of the family's umbilical cord was disposed in that manner. Thus, either the house, cattle kraal, or the mountain, rive or building in which the umbilical cord is placed is where every member of the family or clan symbolically resides. Their umbilical cord connects a child to its ancestors. In native American culture, land plays an important part in preserving culture. Thus, place is important in self-definition. Since African Americans are part descendants among various people of Africans and native Americans, I take the liberty to extend the metaphor of the umbilical cord to their current situation in the face of the demolition of Maxwell Street as a cultural symbol. It is like the Zulu house that symbolizes culture and continuity.
For many African American blues musicians Maxwell Street is the place where their urban musical umbilical cords were placed to connect them with the originators of blues. Maxwell Street was the port of entry for many immigrants. It has a cultural significance, and therefore its complete removal will erase that significant identity, history and memory. Most blues legends cut their musical teeth there. Some of them used the Maxwell Street community where they passed the hat to start their careers as full-time musicians rolling.
It is pleasing to know that the Maxwell Street Coalition will not let up its efforts to save the Street. As they say in Zulu society, Umntwana ongakhallyo ufeia embelekwenl (A baby that does not cry to get its mother's attention, usually dies on its mother's back <in its carrier, because it does not make noise, its mother assumes that it is well.>). The Save Maxwell Coalition is a crying baby, because they have been crying since the proposal to demolish Maxwell Street was uncovered. I say to those people responsible for the proposal to erase blues culture and memory symbolized by Maxwell Street: remember that it will erase not only African history and culture but all the people who grew up on that Street. If you demolish the Street and its culture, what answer will those blues musicians whose musical umbilical lie on Maxwell Street give when asked the questions, Inkaba Yakho Iphi? Therefore, remember that you will be responsible for removing millions of umbilical cords, spirits, and memories lying on Maxwell Street. The removal of Maxwell Street is like the removal of the Liberty Bell from American memory.
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